Washington (CNN) - Political junkies: Mark your calendars. And plan no vacations for the week of August 27, 2012.

The Republican National Committee announced Tuesday night that it will hold the Republican National Convention that week.

"I'm excited to take this important next step by announcing the dates for our 2012 Republican National Convention. With the possible host cities narrowed down to three, this is a proper time to announce the dates where we will formally determine our next Republican nominee," RNC Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement.

The remaining questioned to be answered: Where will the Republicans hold their convention?

Phoenix, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; and Salt Lake City, Utah, are the three finalists.

The RNC says that the 12 members of its site selection committee will visit the three cities later this month and early April as part of the decision-making process.

Tradition dictates that the party that controls the White House holds its convention after the party out of power.

Well, I guess there will be little to watch on tv then. Or at least we will see people bashing the president and calling half the country "commie bastards" and "unpatriotic." I don't know if I want to hear that.

March 3, 2010 09:23 am at 9:23 am |

Wanda from Missouri

Who cares where the Repugs hold their convention. If it's going to be anything "dead" like the last one was, "why bother". I turned it off it was so dead. But the week before, at the "The DEMS" convention, it was full of LIFE. I saw every night of it. Now they had a for real party of a convention. And of course, we know what happened thereafter, we are the party in power and will stay in power for the next four years. You can thank the obstructionists(the party of No) for that. We love our President Obama. He's doing a wonderful job. He cares about the whole nation not just one sector of it. God bless him and his family. God bless America.

March 3, 2010 09:35 am at 9:35 am |

JS

I think it is neat that right now someone has no clue they will be the Republican nominee in 2012. The date is already set and preparations will be made. That is neat.

March 3, 2010 09:38 am at 9:38 am |

jfs Memhis, Tn

They may want to include Jackson, Mississippi. The GOP is even more popular there than the other three choices. Plus Haley Barbour is right there !!!!

March 3, 2010 09:42 am at 9:42 am |

Jerry Moorehead

I wonder if they will have Republican party banners this time around?

March 3, 2010 09:44 am at 9:44 am |

Sniffit

The GOP can't agree with anyone on a deadline to vote on health care or other immediately pressing gravely important issues, but they sure as hell can agree on when to hold the 2012 convention. They've done nothing but campaign since January 20, 2009. Perhaps we should all take that as their tacit acceptance of their current irrelevance. In any case, it certainly speaks to their priorities. HINT: YOU AIN'T ONE OF 'EM (unless of course you're willing to complain about taxes and then give them your after-tax money so they can take trips to Hawaii).

March 3, 2010 09:46 am at 9:46 am |

Miss Independence

Go for Salt Lake City...nice town and nice people...loved it there..moderate weather... florida and AZ will be too hot...

March 3, 2010 09:51 am at 9:51 am |

I voted for Obama and proud of it in Oregon

thats great we can see all the idiots in one place yaking about how wonderful the Bush cheneny administration did and how wonderfup insurance companies are the list goes on and on dip stick idiots :)

March 3, 2010 09:54 am at 9:54 am |

ran

It will not matter were it is. The fear/hate/obstructionist/purity Republicans are going to lose big time in 2010 and 2012.

March 3, 2010 09:54 am at 9:54 am |

VernisRobertson

This bad for the country , this all the GOP cares about is winning . That's just let you that they can care less about the american people. We just came out of the 2008 election and already gearing up for 2012. This is why the Republican not need to be in the White House ever again .

March 3, 2010 10:08 am at 10:08 am |

Chipster

Their last meeting, to discuss the serious economic crisis in the nation, was held in Hawaii! No apparent economic problems for the GOP.

The GOP still has no sense of irony, holding their meeting in a state that has had a public healthcare program that covers almost all residents. Even Rush Limbaugh praised the 40 yr old healthcare system when he required emergency care in the state!

Attendees appeared to be completely uninformed that the state had public healthcare. One person said the state would find out pretty quickly that it wouldn't work – Hawaii has had public healthcare for about than 40 years. Republicans? Uninformed? Imagine that.

March 3, 2010 10:19 am at 10:19 am |

rs

The Republican Legislature closed all of the rest areas in AZ. Old Goppers will never make it. Go to SLC.

March 3, 2010 10:21 am at 10:21 am |

MK

How about Wassila?

March 3, 2010 10:26 am at 10:26 am |

Tom in FL

Now all they need is a candidate who is not repulsive to the majority of voters.

March 3, 2010 10:32 am at 10:32 am |

Henry Miller, Libertarian

Should be interesting watching the neo-cons vs. the teabaggers. I expect they'll have a few private duelling rooms set up at the convention centre–rooms with bullet-proof walls and rental duelling pistols available.

Personally, I hope the teabaggers win–they're a lot closer to the spirit of the traditional GOP, and to the spirit of America, than are the self-righteous, Big Government, neo-con jerks.

March 3, 2010 10:34 am at 10:34 am |

The lonely Libertarian of Liverpool NY

Woo Hoo, the two party monopoly of rulers has the one progressive party the GOP planning a convention. Soon the other progressive party the Democrats will announce their convention.
But the country was founded totally different than what either of these parties wants anymore. This country was founded as a Republic with a Constitution that allows the people certain rights, which these two parties continue to ignore.
Vote Congress out, “you are fired” if they are in. Vote them out this fall no matter what party they belong to, and in the next election and every election going forward until they become the servants of the people once more.

March 3, 2010 10:36 am at 10:36 am |

Bed time for Raygun

They should have it in Peru next to their temple.Lets hope they all jump into the volcano.

March 3, 2010 10:41 am at 10:41 am |

Dumbasrocks [R]s

Was this one of the dates associated with the anti-Christ mentioned in the book of Revelations?

March 3, 2010 10:44 am at 10:44 am |

mike

WHO CARES look at South Carolina cutting day care for the disable children of parents that cannot afford it were are the pro choice people
out to lunch what about bunning stopping the 30 billion dollar taxpayer
money to help the people who payed taxes and now need it not give it
to another country that we will never see a dime of it what point is he trying to make if his kid goes to collage does he tell him he can't go or
does he borrow the money like most parents do lets face it the brainless
republican people think that low taxes is going to take of there roads
schools and parks but what they don't understand is that when I am looking at a home in there town thats what I am going to look at

March 3, 2010 10:47 am at 10:47 am |

carlos

in baghdad and kabul...so they can experience the realities of the wars they created and the hardships they put our Brave Men and Women in uniform....criminals

March 3, 2010 10:48 am at 10:48 am |

john in binghamton NY

Who cares? Why are we so excited about giving these boobs chance to screw things up again?

March 3, 2010 10:49 am at 10:49 am |

Stacie

They have lots of free time for event planning since no one in the Republican party is actually working for the American people.